Boiler-tube cleaner.



WITNESSES J. D. THOMPSON.

BOILER TUBE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 313.13, 1909.

' Tia- Patented 0011.26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTUH Jatmesfljywm som AITQR/VEYS J. D. THOMPSON. BOILER TUBECLEANER. APPLICATION FILED PEB.13, 1909.

938 ,289, Patented Oct. 26,1909.

1 a zsnns-s 2.

WITNESSES JQ "F f aar INVENTOI? 1/ 1 JamesflT/zampaon ATTORNEYS JAMESDAVID THOMPSON, OF EUREKA, CALIFORNIA.

BOILER-TUBE CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed February 13, 1909. Serial No. 477,556.

' To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES DAVID THOMP- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Eureka, in the county of Hum boldt and Stateof California, have invented a new and Improved Boiler-TubeCleaner, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to boiler tube cleaners, and it has for its objectto provide a cleaner for boiler tubes, which is adapted for directing ajet of steam through the boiler tubes from their rear, it being possibleto use the cleaner without dismantling the boiler or furnace in anymanner and without drawing the fire from the furnace.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means which willindicate the position of the nozzle relatively to the boiler tubes, atall times.

Still other objects of the invention will appear in the followingcomplete description.

In this specification I will describe the preferred form of myinvention, but it will be understood that I do not limit myself thereto,as I consider myself entitled to all forms and embodiments of theinvention which may be held to fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Reference is to be had to the acoompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures, in which Figure 1 is anelevation of my invention as applied to the rear of a furnace; Fig. 2 isa sectional side elevation of a furnace and a boiler to which myinvention is applied; Fig. 3 is a plan view on the line wm of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper portion of the frame for the guides;and Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the plates through which the tubesare disposed.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a tubular boiler 1 isprovided, which is disposed in the usual manner, with a grate 2thereunder and a furnace 3 constructed in the usual manner with theexception of the rear wall, the lower portion of which is cut away belowa point 4, and beyond this rear wall 5 of the furnace there is anauxiliary wall 6 spaced from the wall 5 and extending a short distanceabove the lower plane 4 of the wall 5. In this auxiliary wall 6 there isprovided a doorway 7, to permit of the furnace being cleaned. The boileris connected with the rear wall 5 of the furnace by the usual furnaceplate back 8. A U-shaped pipe 9 is provided, one arm 10 of which extendsupwardly in the space between the rear furnace wall 5 and the auxiliaryfurnace wall 6, and the other arm 11 extends upwardly in close proximityto the rear of the boiler 1, this arm 11 having a nozzle 12 on itsterminal. The arm 11 of the pipe 9 is covered with asbestos, or othersuitable material 13, to prevent its being unduly heated by the gases ofthe furnace.

On the top of the auxiliary wall 6 there is a bar 14, and embedded inthe wall 5, opposite the bar 14;, there is a similar bar 15, the arm 10of the U-shaped pipe 9 extending upwardly between these bars, the barsforming a base for plates 16, which are disposed thereon to inclose thefurnace at this point. These plates 16 have projecting portions 17 whichfit loosely between the bars 14 and 15, the under side of the plates 16resting on the said bars 14 and 15. In a similar way the platesinterlock with each other, each plate having a tongue 18 which fits in arecess 19 in a neighboring plate. In one of the plates 16, there are twoorifices 20', in one of which the arm 10 of the U-shaped pipe 9 isdisposed and in the other is disposed an auxiliary pipe 21, theauxiliary pipe 21 extending down to the horizontal plane of the lowerterminal of the arm 10, at which point the auxiliary pipe 21 isconnected to the pipe 9, by means of a branch 22. In the branch 22,there is a plug 23, to prevent the steam from passing into the pipe 21,the pipe 21 serving to render the U-shaped pipe 9 and its connections,firm at all times. The arm 10 and the pipe 21 are connected to a sleeve24 in which is disposed a rod 25 of a frame, the arm 10 of the U-shapedpipe 9 and the pipe 21 extending above the sleeve 24 and being securedto a second sleeve 26 in which is disposed a rod 27, the rods 25 and 27being secured to sleeves 28, in which are disposed guide rods 29. Theguide rods 29 are connected at their upper terminals by parallel framemembers 30, there being ournaled in the parallel frame members 30, neartheir outer terminals, short shafts 31 to which are secured pulleys 32.On the frame members is disposed a small traveler 33 having concaverollers 34 which rest on the frame members 30, and on the shafts towhich the rollers 34 are j ournaled are freely mounted pulleys 35. Tothe sleeve 26 is secured a lanyard 36 which passes over the pulleys 35on the traveler 33, there being a counterweight 37 secured to the otherterminal of the lanyard 36. Lanyards 38 are secured to the rod 27, theselanyards 38 passing over the pulleys 32 and having counterweights 39secured to their other terminals.

On the outside of the rear furnace wall 5 there is marked a diagram 40which corresponds with the several boiler tubes in the boiler 1, and onthe arm 10 of the U-shaped pipe 9, there is an indicator 41, theindicator 41 being provided so that when the arm 10 is moved to aposition where the indicator 41 is disposed in close proximity to one ofthe squares in the diagram 40, the nozzle 12 will be in a position todirect a jet of steam into the corresponding tube in the boiler. A steamhose 4.2 is connected to the arm 10 of the U-shaped pipe 9 to furnishthe steam which is to be directed through the boiler tubes. At one sideof the furnace 3 there is a recess 43 in which the U-shaped pipe 9 maybe disposed when not in use.

In using my invention, the plates 16 are shifted to permit the movementof the U-shaped pipe 9 from the recess 43 to a position in alinementwith the plan of one of the vertical rows of boiler tubes, and theplates are immediately replaced to completely close the opening betweenthe rear wall 5 and the auxiliary wall 6. When this is done the U-shapedpipe is raised or lowered as may be necessary, in order to bring thenozzle 12 in alinement with any particular tube in the vertical row ofboiler tubes referred to. The steam is then turned onto permit it toflow through the U-shaped pipe and to pass through the nozzle 12 intothe boiler tube. When the steam has been driven through the particularboiler tube for a suflicient length of time to clean the tube, theU-shaped pipe 9 is raised or lowered to permit the steam to be directedinto a neighboring tube in the same column, and so on until all thetubes in the column are cleaned, when the plates 16 are again shifted topermit of the movement of the U-shaped pipe 9 laterally in order thatthe nozzle may direct the steam to a tube in an adjoining column oftubes, which are then cleaned. The other columns of tubes are cleaned inthe same manner.

In using the invention it will be found that the counterweights 37 and39 will support the frame and the U-shaped pipe 9, so that after thenozzle has been moved to the desired position it is no longer necessaryto handle the pipe, as the U-shaped pipe 9 will remain in this positionuntil the members are again moved to permit the nozzle to direct thesteam into another tube.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a tubular boiler, afurnace, a nozzle which is adapted for directing a steam jet from aposition in alinement with any one of the tubes of the boiler within thefurnace, means for moving the nozzle vertically and horizontally so thatthe nozzle may register with any one of the plurality of tubes in theboiler, and means without the furnace which are adapted for indicatingthe position of the nozzle in the furnace.

2. In a boiler tube cleaner, a boiler, a furnace in connectiontherewith, a nozzle in the furnace, which is adapted for directing asteam jet into any one of a plurality of tubes in a boiler, a pipeconnecting the nozzle with a steam supply without the furnace, the pipepassing through a plate which forms a unit in a cover for an opening inthe furnace, means for indicating the position of the nozzle in thefurnace, and means for moving the pipe, whereby the nozzle is disposedin the desired position.

3. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a boiler having aplurality of rows of tubes, a furnace, a nozzle adapted for directing ajet of steam into any one of the said tubes from a positionsubstantially in alinement therewith, a pipe leading from the nozzle toa source of steamsupplied without the furnace, and means for moving thepipe vertically and horizontally whereby the nozzle is disposed in thedesired position.

4. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a boiler having aplurality of rows of boiler tubes, a furnace, a nozzle adapted to movevertically and horizontally to register with any one of the tubes of theboiler for directing a jet of steam therein, there being an elongatedopening in the furnace, a pipe secured to the nozzle by which the nozzleis fed with steam and its position is regulated, the pipe passingthrough the opening in the furnace, plates to cover the opening in thefurnace, and means without the furnace for indicating the position ofthe nozzle.

5. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a boiler, a furnace, anozzle adapted to move vertically and horizontally to register with anyone of the tubes for directing a jet of steam therein, there being anelongated opening in the furnace, a pipe secured to the nozzle by whichthe nozzle is fed with steam and its position is regulated, plates tocover the opening in the furnace, the pipe passing through an orifice inone of the plates, and means without the furnace for indicating theposition of the nozzle.

6. In a boiler tube cleaner, a furnace, a boiler in connection therewithhaving a plurality of rows of tubes, a nozzle adapted for directing ajet of steam into any one of the tubes of the boiler, there being anelongated opening in the furnace, a pipe secured to the nozzle by whichthe nozzle is fed with steam, plates to cover the opening in thefurnace, the pipe passing through an orifice in one of the plates, andmeans without the furnace for indicating the position of the nozzle,some of the plates being adapted for covering the portions of theelongated opening which are substantially equal to the distance betweenthe centers of tubes disposed in the same row, the elongated openingbeing parallel with the plane of the inner terminals of the tubes.

7. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a boiler having aplurality of rows of tubes, a furnace, a nozzle adapted to be movedvertically and horizontally for directing a jet of steam into any one ofthe said tubes from a position substantially in alinement therewith,means for moving the nozzle to the desired position, and a counterweightby which the said means is balanced.

8. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a tubular boiler, afurnace, a nozzle adapted to be moved vertically and horizontally fordirecting a jet of steam into any one of the tubes of the boiler from aposit-i011 substantially in alinement therewith, means for moving thenozzle to the desired position, and a counterweight by which the meansis balanced.

9. In a boiler tube cleaner, a furnace, a boiler in connection therewithhaving a plurality of rows of tubes, a nozzle adapted for directing ajet of steam into any one of the tubes, means for moving the nozzle tothe desired position, an indicator thereon, a diagram without thefurnace which in connection with the indicator is adapted for showingthe position of the nozzle relatively to the tubes in the boiler, and acou'nter weight by which the said means are balanced.

10. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a boiler having aplurality of rows of tubes, a furnace, a nozzle adapted to be movedvertically and horizontally for directing a jet of steam into any one ofthe tubes, means to move the nozzle to the desired position and tosupply it with steam from without the furnace, a frame without thefurnace by which the means is supported, guides for the frame, and acounterweight for the frame.

11. In a boiler tube cleaner, in combination with a tubular boiler, afurnace, a nozzle which is adapted to be moved vertically andhorizontally so that it may register with any one of the tubes of theboiler to direct a jet of steam therein, a longitudinal opening in thefurnace, a pipe connected to the nozzle which is disposed in the openingand is adapted to move the nozzle to the desired position, plates forcovering the opening, there being an orifice in one of the plates forthe pipe, a frame without the furnace, which supports the pipe, andguides and a counterweight for the frame.

12. In a boiler tube cleaner, a furnace, a boiler in connectiontherewith having a plurality of rows of tubes, a nozzle adapted fordirecting a jet of steam into any one of the tubes, a pipe connected tothe nozzle, the pipe serving to supply steam to the nozzle and beingalso adapted for moving the nozzle to the desired position relatively tothe tubes, the pipe passing to the exterior of the furnace, a framewithout the furnace by which the pipe is supported, guides and acounterweight for the frame, an indicator connected with the pipe, and adiagram without the furnace which in connection with the indicator isadapted for showing the position of the nozzle relatively to the tubes.

13. In a boiler tube cleaner, a tubular boiler, a furnace in connectiontherewith, a portion of the rear wall of the furnace being set off,there being a horizontal opening in the set off portion of the furnace,a nozzle adapted for directing a jet of steam into the tubes of theboiler respectively, a U-shaped pipe, one terminal of which is connectedto the nozzle, the other terminal extending through the horizontalopening, plates adapted for covering the opening, the pipe extendingthrough an orifice therein, a frame which supports the outer terminal ofthe pipe, the pipe having a sliding engagement with the frame to permitit to travel relatively thereto, guides for the frame, and means forsupporting the frame.

14. In a boiler tube cleaner, a tubular boiler, a furnace in connectiontherewith, a portion of the rear wall of the furnace being set off,there being a horizontal opening in the set off portion of the furnace,a nozzle adapted for directing a jet of steam into the tubes of theboiler respectively, a U-shaped pipe, one terminal of which is connectedto the nozzle, the other terminal extending through the horizontalopening, plates adapted for covering the opening, the pipe extendingthrough an orifice therein, a frame which supports the outer terminal ofthe pipe, the pipe having a sliding engagement with the frame to permitit to travel relatively thereto, guides for the frame, means forsupporting the frame, and means without the furnace adapted forindicating the position of the nozzle relatively to the tubes.

15. In a boiler tube cleaner, a tubular boiler, a furnace in connectiontherewith, a portion of the rear wall of the furnace being set off,there being a horizontal opening in the set off portion of the furnace,a nozzle adapted for directing a jet of steam into the tubes of theboiler respectively, a U-shaped pipe, one terminal of which is connectedto the nozzle, the other terminal extending through the horizontalopening, plates adapted for covering the opening, the pipe extendingthrough an orifice therein, a frame Which supports the outer terminal ofthe pipe, the pipe having a sliding engagement With the frame to permitit to travel relatively thereto, guides for the frame, means forsupporting the frame, an indicator connected With the outer terminal ofthe U- shaped pipe, and a diagram Which in connection with the indicatoris adapted for showing the position of the nozzle relatively to thetubes of the boiler.

16. In a boiler tube cleaner, a frame having a rod, a pipe having asleeve Which slides on the said rod, a nozzle at one terminal of thepipe, and means to move the frame at right angles to the said rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES DAVID THOMPSON.

lVitnesses:

IV. A. ELSEMORE, C. H. PALMTAG.

